Debbie Lovewell-Tuck: The future is now

April 2017 marks the start of a new chapter for Employee Benefits. Nearly 20 years after it first launched back in 1997, the decision has been made to cease publication of our print magazine and focus solely on digital content and our live events. As a journalist and someone who has spent the past 14 years contributing to and shaping Employee Benefits, I have to admit the move is somewhat bittersweet. However, I can’t help but be excited about the future.

Since we announced the news a few weeks ago, I have been asked several times what this means for the future of the brand. The honest answer is that it is simply a change in how we deliver content to our readers in order to better reflect how people now consume media. I’m sure I’m not alone in now reading an increasing number of articles online via my iPhone or iPad.

When I sat down to write this, I did consider looking back at the industry and how it has changed over the past two decades. However, as I began to write, that didn’t feel like the message I really wanted to give. This isn’t a time for reflection but for looking to the future and to the new opportunities this holds. Going forward, not being constrained by print deadlines will mean we will be able to invest more time in developing new initiatives over the next few months, as well as continuing to provide all of the news, analysis, case studies and industry opinion you have come to expect from us via employeebenefits.co.uk.

Our April cover story is perfectly aligned with the theme of change. Over the past couple of years, we have witnessed the rise of the gig economy. One of the most contentious issues to come out of this is the debate around the employment status of individuals working for organisations such as Uber, and what this means for their employment rights. Read more in How will the gig economy affect employee benefits?

It just goes to show that evolution is continual and necessary in order to best meet an audience’s needs and expectations.

So, while the April issue may be a farewell to the print publication for Employee Benefits, it’s also a hello to our new digital future. This is just the start of a new, exciting journey for us and we really hope you will join us on it.